Automatic device for loading textile machine spindles

ABSTRACT

Device or apparatus for automatically unloading and loading spools, cops, bobbins, cores, tubes and the like carried by textile machine spindles, e.g., in rows or banks along the face of the machine, said device essentially including a movable framework carrying two different gripping means reciprocating in a linear and curved path, respectively, so as to rapidly unload and load the same spindle without mutual interference. The device is particularly useful in combination with double-twist twisting machines or similar machines equipped with twisting spindles in order to properly mount and assemble all of the spool and spindle elements in a rapid sequential operation.

[ 51 May 1, 1973 United States Patent 1 Mayer et a1.

3,316,698 5/1967 Franzen...................................57/53 AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR LOADING TEXTILE MACHINE SPINDLES n m D. m o h T "m K e m e Auk m0 t mm N rm et mm m J new 1. WW .mmS PA& m m 00 mw ha x m m e 6 R m o mm n a m M 6 mm MnR m n e v .m .d r i [73] Assignee: Barmag Barmer Maschinenfabrik [57] ABSTRACT Device or apparatus for automatically unloading and loading spools, cops, bobbins, cores, tubes and the like carried by textile machine spindles, e.g., in rows or Aktiengesellschaft, Wuppertal, Germany s an, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 135,143

[22] Filed:

banks along the face of the machine, said device essentially including a movable framework carrying two different gripping means reciprocating in a linear and pidly unload and [30] Foreign Application Priority Data curved path, respectively, so as to ra Apr. 22,1570 Germany........... ual interference. The device is particularly useful in combination with load the same spindle without mut double-twist twisting machines or similar machines equipped with twisting spindles in order to .........57/53 .D01h 9/10 properly .57/34 R 52, 53 mount and assemble all of the spool and spindle elements in a rapid sequential operation.

[52] US. [51] Int. Cl. [58] Field of Search..........................

12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,599,413 8/1971 Nimtz et a1.

Pa tented May 1, 1973 I 3,729,915

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTORs': MANFREDMAYER EIN R NAYQOWSKI BY: MJM

ATT'YS AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR LOADING TEXTILE MACHINE SPINDLES This invention generally relates to a device for automatically unloading and loading textile machine spindles with a new supply spool or with an empty spool core, the device being movable to different spool positions along the front of the machine.

The known arrangements of apparatus for loading spindles, for example in so-called spinning and twisting machines, are concerned with the handling of spools or cops of comparatively small dimensions and weight. Thus, spools are to be moved which are relatively elongated in shape and which have a small diameter and a low weight of, for example, only 150 grams.

A preferred loading device of this type, as disclosed in German Auslegeschrift No. 1,292,563, has a beam extending over the length of the spinning frame which is provided with gripper devices corresponding to the number of the spindles arranged in one row. The beam is capable of being moved horizontally and vertically, in such a manner that it is able to swing between the row of spindles and a conveyor means situated beneath the spindle rail, whereby the finished cops are deposited and new empty spool cores are gripped for transport to the machine. When large spools are required with a weight of one kilogram or more, for example, and with correspondingly large dimensions, they must be handled separately or in small groups if they are to remain in the loading devices and within the range of the usual machine dimensions. A solution for loading the spindles one at a time is not adequate in this case because of the slowness of the loading and unloading process.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device to automatically load. textile machine spindles with fresh wound spools or with empty tubes or spool cores as quickly as possible and without occupying too large a space.'Another object of the invention is to provide a spindle loading device capable of handlingrelatively large and heavy wound spools, cops or bobbins as well as relatively complex spool and spindle combinations as required in certain spinning or twisting operations. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon careful consideration of the following detailed disclosure.

It has now been found, in accordance withthe invention, that one can provide anespecially advantageous device or apparatus for automatically loading and unloading spindles located at intervals, preferably in banks or tiers, along the face of a textile machine, said device including a supporting framework movable along said machine face for the alignment of individual spindle positions, at least one first gripping means mounted on said framework for reciprocal linear movement axially of an individual spindle and including releasable clamping means for holding a spool being withdrawn from said spindle, at least one second gripping means separately mounted on said framework by a swinging lever arm for reciprocal motion in a curved path between an upper spool receiving position and a lower spindle registering. position atwhich the spool is fitted onto said spindle, said second gripping means including releasable clamping means to hold a spool being transported from said upper position to said lower position, and means to separately actuate each of said first and second gripping means for cooperative movement such that said first gripping means is drawn away from said spindle while said second gripping means loads a spool onto said spindle and returns in said curved path free of interference with said first gripping means.

It is especially desirable to reciprocate the second gripping means in a circular path which is readily superimposed upon or integrated with the linear reciprocation of the first gripping means, i.e., such that both gripping means lie in a common plane passing through the axis of the spindle being loaded and unloaded. As the first gripping means is being withdrawn with one spool, the second gripping means can be operatively pivoted to almost simultaneously load the spindle. Other variations in theloading and unloading sequence are also quite possible and readily applied to the apparatus of the invention as explained in greater detail hereinbelow.

in referring to a spool as being loaded or unloaded within the context of the present invention, it is to be understood that this spool may be a fully wound cop or bobbin as well as an empty spool core or tube, depending upon the function of the textile machine wherein spools may be either wound or unwound during various known spinning, twisting and/or winding steps. Also, in certain'instances, the spool itself becomes an essential part of the apparatus, particularly where it includes two or more separable elements which must be assembled and disassembled in each loading and unloading sequence. Accordingly, throughout the specification and claims, the term spool is to be broadly construed to include both empty and full spools as well as certain specialty spools.

In certain applications, it is therefore desirable to provide a device for removing an empty spool or core tube while loading a wound spool or cop onto an individual spindle, and this kind of operation is illustrated in the present application with the understanding that a simple interchange of parts or slight modification of the apparatus will also permit one to remove a wound spool while loading an empty core tube. (0n the other hand, the first-mentioned operation of removing the empty spooland loading a full spool is especially applicable to the construction of double twist twisting machines in which the loading device must supply a fully wound spool while stripping off an empty tube.

Other specific embodiments and improvements of the invention as well as particular objects and advantages will become more apparent when considering the details discussed in the remainder of this specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a partly schematic side elevation of the spindle loading and unloading device according to the invention, partially showing a double-twist twisting machine which is to be automatically loaded;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a first gripper or unloading assembly for withdrawing empty spools;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section taken through one gripping means of the unloading assembly as shown in FIG. 2, illustrated in a position of operation in which an empty spool and a thread or yarn brake accommodated inthe reduced end thereof are clamped and held;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, taken at right angles to the elongated front face of a double-twist twisting machine, of an assembly for the feeding of new supply spools into a position in which they can be gripped by a second gripping means and loading assembly, shown partly in section in the upper position thereof and with the spools being moved in a vertically arranged circular path; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic and substantially enlarged view of means for swinging out the yarn guide, there being only a partial view of associated apparatus.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the conventional doubletwist twisting machine includes a series or row of pots 5 and 6 in each of two superimposed levels or tiers 3 and 4 of an upper housing member 2. Each pot includes a spindle 7, which serves to receive a supply spool or wound cop 8. The longitudinal placement of the pots or spindles along the face or the front side of the doubletwist twisting machine can be easily derived from the arrangement of the spools in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thus, as indicated in FIG. 4, the supply spools 8 in the upper row 9 are intended for loading onto the spindles 7 of the upper pot level 4, while the supply spools in the lower row are intended for loading onto the spindles of the lower pot level 3. The spools 8 in the rows 9 and 10 are fed to the pot levels 3 and 4, respectively, by means of a loading assembly and second gripping means, as hereinafter described, in a circular movement of each gripping means in a vertical plane which includes the axis of the particular spindle being loaded. The spacing of the spindles 7 in the two pot levels 3 and 4 can be seen from FIG. 4, which is drawn to the same scale as FIG. 1. Thusfthe two rows or levels are staggered so that a pot 5 which is in the lower level is offset laterally with respect to an adjacent pot 6 in the upper level by half the spacing between the spindles in the upper and lower levels. The spacing between two adjacent spindles in the same row as they are simultaneously unloaded can be seen in FIG. 2.

The loading device of the invention has as its first object or function the automatic removal of an empty spool 11, which is on the spindle 7 and has a thread or yarn brake 12 provided with a rotatable or twisting flyer l3 fitted into its reduced or tapered end. The second function of the loading device is the positioning of a new supply spool or cop 8 on the spindle 7 which has been stripped of the empty spool 11. The new supply spool is preferably only partially pushed onto the spindle until the thread brake has been inserted into the spool, after which the resulting complete spool assembly is pushed fully home.

The loading device of the invention essentially includes a removal or withdrawing gripper assembly 14 (as indicated in FIG. 2), serving to remove the empty spools 11 from the spindles 7, and also includes a loading or feeding gripper assembly l5 (as indicated in FIG.

.4), serving to insert or position new supply spools 8 on the stripped spindles 7. Both of the gripper assemblies are arranged on a support member 16, which is mounted for vertical adjustment on a vertical supporting framework 17, which in its turn is arranged on a carriage 18 which is horizontally movable along the face or front of the machine 1 or housing 2.

The carriage 18, as viewed from one end in FIG. 1, has a base 19 on one longitudinal side of which are arranged 'two guide wheels 20 (only one wheel being visible in FIG. 1), the said wheels running with their circumferential groove 21 on a correspondingly formed guide rail 22 on the base frame 23 of the machine 1. For producing a three-point mounting, only one relatively large supporting wheel 24 is arranged on the other side of the base 19, said large wheel running on the floor 25 of the workshop.

The supporting structure or framework 17 of the loading device is arranged on that side of the carriage '18 which is remote from the textile machine 1 and essentially includes two tubular guides 26 and 27, which are arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the carriage l8 and are connected rigidly to this carriage. Two additional tubular guides or supporting rods 28 are connected rigidly to the support member 16 and are introduced with longitudinal or telescoping displacement into the tubes 26 and 27, only one of these additional guide tubes or rods 28 being visible in FIG. 1. To provide vertical support and the height adjustment (as indicated by double-arrow 38) of the support member 16, the tubular framework or structural assembly 17 is provided with a hydraulically operated lift cylinder 29, which is pivotally connected at 30 to a horizontal crossbar 31 arranged in a fixed position between the tubular guides 26 and 27 the associated piston rod 29a being pivotally connected at 32 to the underside of the support member 16. As shown in FIG. 1, downward movement of the support member 16 into the lower position, serving for the loading of the pot level 3, causes the lower ends of the upper guide tubes 28 to be moved from the position 33 into the position 34. This movement corresponds exactly to the vertical interval between the planes extending through the spindle axes of each row or tier 3 and 4. Each of the lower tubular guides 26 and 27 is additionally supported by a diagonal truss or brace 35 extending from the base 19 of the carriage 18.

A collecting bin 36 for empty spools 11 removed from the spindle 7 is arranged, facing the double-twist twisting machine 1, on the base 19 of the carriage 18. This bin 36 is preferably elongated in the direction of movement of the carriage 19 so as to receive two or even more spools simultaneously stripped from adjacent spindles. A slanting attached plate 37 aids in the interception and collection of the empty spools. The single large supporting wheel 24 is preferably arranged centrally between the support tubes or guides 26 and 27, e.g., below cylinder 29.

The different gripping devides l4 and 15 are each constructed so as to accomplish a simultaneous stripping and loading of two adjacent spindles 7 of two horizontally juxtaposed pots 6 and 6a as shown in FIG. 2. They consequently include two identically constructed gripper heads 39 and 40 for the stripping device 14 (FIG. 2) and another two gripper heads 41 and 42 for the loading device 15 which are also identical to each other but different from 39 and 40.

The stripping gripper heads 39 and 40 are so arranged with reference to the support member 16 that they can be axially reciprocated, i.e., in the direction of the center axes of the spindles 7 of the respective pots 6 and 6a whichare being loaded. Thus, they are arranged on the free flanged end of a slide member 43 which is U-shaped in plan view (FIG. 2), the slide 43 being displaceably or shiftably mounted on two horizontal guide rods or slide rails 44 and 45 which are connected rigidly to the support member 16. In order to be able to withdraw the slide 43 up close to the support member 16 and thereby to keep the width of the loading device as small as possible, a jointed or levered drive means 46, as can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, is arranged beneath the slide 43 and the guide rods 44 and 45. The reciprocatory movement, shown by double-headed arrow 47 in FIG. 1, is produced by a hydraulically operated double-acting cylinder 48, which is pivotally connected at 49 to the support 16, the associated piston rod 48a being pivotally connected at50 to a pivoted arm 51. The arm 51 is connected by means of a pin-and-slot guideway 52, for horizontal traversing movement on the lower slot flanges 53 of the crossbar or base of the U-shaped slide 43. This arm 51 is pivoted at its rearward end at 54 to the free end of a cantilever arm 55 connected rigidly to the support 16. Thus, the hydraulically operated piston rod 48a and the lever arm 51 cooperate as linking or lever means to move the slide 43 horizontally toward and away from the positions of the pots 6 and 6a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the gripper heads 39 or 40, which are substantially block-shaped, are positioned in their gripping or clamping position by means of bores 56 which receive a thread or yarn insertion tube 57 of the brake 12 carried as an axial projection from the tube or spool core 11. The brake 12 can be a conventional element which includesconcentric cylindrical portions 59 and 60, the diameter of which increases stepwise, and also concentric cylindrical portions 61 and 62, the diameter of which decreases stepwise.

For gripping both the empty tube 11 and the brake 12, the grippers 39 and 40 each comprise two separately actuated gripping wedges or jaws 63 and 64, respectively, these jaws being engaged substantially by friction so as to be releasably held against the periphery of the spool 11 and brake 12, respectively.

The first wedge or jaw 63 is arranged as a radially projecting member with reference to the spool 11, preferably curved on its contacting face to fit the tube, and is situated at the free end of the lever arm 65 which is pivoted at its opposite end. The lever arm 65 is accommodated in a recess 66 of the gripper housing '67 and is mounted to pivot at 68 in the horizontal plane. The lever 65 projects beyond the largest cylindrical portion 60 of the brake 12, so that the jaw 63 is capable of being applied to the outermost tapered end of. the spool 11 as it rests against the inner annular face of brake portion 60. The cylindrical portion 61 of the brake 12 is pushed or set into the spool or spool core 11 to provide support in a radially outward direction.

The second wedge or jaw 64 of the gripping head passes through a radial bore or opening 69 in the wall of the bore 56 and can be actuated to frictionally contact the small tube 57 of brake 12. in this manner, the yarn guide tube 57 can be held against the inner wall of the bore 56 so as to firmly grip and hold the entire brake assembly 12.

The single-acting hydraulic cylinders 71 and 72 in conjunction with pistons 73 and and pressure supply means for hydraulic fluid at 75 and 76, respectively, actuate the individual gripper jaws 63 and 64. The pistons act upon the jaws by means of the extended members 73a and 740 with interposition of the springs 77 and 78, respectively. In the case of jaw 63, the pivoted lever is acted upon. The release of the gripper jaws into a rest or non-gripping position is effected by means of the return springs 79 and 80. Each of the gripper jaws 63 and 64 has associated therewith its own hydraulic circuit and its own control system, the hydraulic fluid being directed through suitable conduits such as flexible lines in fluid connection with the housing 67 at and 76. v

In combination with the gripping devices 39 and 40 are additional stripper means such as that designated 81 and associated with the gripper 39 as shown in FIG. ll. The stripper means in this case consistsessentially of at least one fixed rod 82 mounted on the support member 16 and projecting approximately axially with respect to the spindles 7. Each rod 82 is displaced from its spindle by about one-half the path of total horizontal movement of the slide 43 and has a bowed wedge or saddle spring 83 arranged on its free end. The spring 83 projects obliquely upwards and, with reference to the slide 43, laterally inwards into the path of movement of the individual gripper head 39 or 40. The spring is deformed as it passes the gripper housing or block 67 and then springs towards the spool 11, previously released from the pressure exerted by the gripper jaw 63, 50 that the spool 11 is released from its frictional seating on the member 61 of the brake 12. As indicated by phantom lines in FIG. 1, the tube 11 then drops into the collecting container 36. Thus, the tube 11 riding on spring tip 83 is an advanced stage of the stripping operation. The gripper 39 at this stage would be simultaneously disposed in a position relatively close to the support 16, i.e., as the gripper is being retracted.

The loading and gripping device 15 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 is arranged on the free end of the swinging arm 84, which in its turn is arranged at 85 to be rotatable about the free end of a cantilever member 86 which extends obliquely upwards and towards the machine from a fixed position on the support 16. In order to move the arm 84 around the pivot point 85, there is provided a hydraulic cylinder 87, the associated piston rod 87a being pivotally connected at 88 to a pivoted attachment 89 connected rigidly to the arm 84. The cylinder 87 is pivotally connected at 90 to the cantilever arm 91 of the forklike cantilever member 86 which actually consists of two cantilever arms 91 and 92 extending parallel to one another and connected to thesupport member 16.

The pivoted swinging arm 84 is likewise forkshaped and comprises two parallel arm sections 93 and 94 (as shown in FIG. 4), the arm section 93 being rotatably mounted (as shown in both FIGS. 1 and 4) by means of the shaft 95 on the free end of the cantilever arm 91, while the mounting of the other arm section 94 on cantilever arm 92 is merely indicated as being the same (See FIG. 4).

The two loading grippers 41 and 42 include the jaws 96 and 97 or 98 and 99, respectively, which are operative when engaged on the outer surface or wound casing of the supply spools or cop packages 8. The cylinder-piston units 100 and 101 or 102 and 103, respectively, serve for the radial adjustment of the paired jaws. The jaws are held in each instance with their control or adjustment mechanisms on flange-like gripper supports 104, 105 and 106, which are arranged on a transverse crossbar 107, the latter in its turn being fixed on the free ends of the pivoted arm sections 93 and 94. The central flange 105 serves at the same time for supporting the jaws 97 and 98 of the two adjacent grippers 41 and 42. The two other flanges 104 and 106 are arranged at laterally spaced positions near pivoted arm sections 93 and 94.

The supply of the hydraulic fluid as a pressurized medium for the cylinder-piston units 100 to 103 is indicated by an arrow on the fluid supply line 108. From the supply line 108, a line 109 branches off to the cylinder 100, another line 110 branches off to the cylinders 101 and 102 and a third line 111 branches off to the cylinder 103 (as shown schematically in FIG. 4). The cylinders 100 to 103 are not shown in detail since they can be easily constructed to yield the desired gripping or clamping function in a releasable manner. As with the grippers 39 and 40, these cylinders 100 to 103 are preferably single-acting hydraulic cylinders, each of which is then equipped with a return spring causing the paired jaws 96, 97 and 98, 99 to spread apart when the fluid pressure is removed.

In the assembly comprising the arm sections 93 and 94 and the gripper support members 104 to 106, the swinging arm 84 has a substantially U-shaped section, with the two flanges or extensions 112 and 113 and the crosspiece 114. In the initially horizontal position of the pivoted arm 84, in which two supply spools 8 suspended adjacent one another are gripped by means of the gripper jaws, the pivot mounting 85 and the gripper jaws are at substantially the same height. The swinging arm 84, as shown in FIG. 1, is then pivoted downwardly around the pivot mounting 85 as indicated by the-double arrow 116, this pivot point 85 being aligned substantially perpendicularly above the forward edge 115 of the machine 1 at a distance from the upper row of spindles equal to the length of the arm 84. The gripped spools 8 which then project directly below the horizontal level of the pivot mounting 85, are at least partially pushed onto the spindle 7 as the arm 84 swings down into its vertical position (shown in solid line form).

The storage and feeding mechanism for the new supply spools is also shown in FIG. 4, This mechanism consists of a suspended conveyor 117, which is composed in part of the component sections 118 in the nature of a link chain or the like. These component sections are interconnected by means of bolts 119, which at the same time serve as a holding means or mounting support for the guiding and supporting wheels 120 (see also FIG. 1 Acting as a guide for the conveyor chain is a box or channel housing 121 which has a centrally arranged longitudinal slot 122 in the bottom thereof. While the wheels 120 are running on the flanges projecting on both sides of the slot 122, suspension rods 123 for the supply spools 8 project downwardly through the slot. Arranged centrally on each component section 118 of the conveyor chain 124 is one of these rods 123. In this arrangement, shorter rods 125 alternate with longer rods 126, the ionger rods each being connected by a flexible joint 127 to the associated component section of the conveyor chain 124.

As will be apparent from FIG. 1, a flexible or deformable rubber washer 128 can be arranged at the bottom end of each of the rods and 126. This washer serves to temporarily hold the supply spools 8 on the rod ends, in such a way that they can be forcibly removed downwardly from the rods by the grippers 41 and 42. The supply spools are fitted by means of their cores 11 from below with their upwardly directed smaller open end inserted onto the ends of the rods, the rubber washer 128 being folded or distorted upwardly in the shape of a pot and thereby guaranteeing a reliable seating of the spools on the rods. The washer 128 essentially acts as a releasable catch spring, and any similar means can be used which is sufficient to hold the weight of the supply spool but yielding to the loading movement of the second gripping means. The conveyor 117 is generally constructed as a horizontally aligned endless conveyor chain, fresh spools being added at any convenient point remote from the textile machine 1. Other feeding or conveying means can also be readily adapted to furnish the spools to theloading device, but the embodiment shown is especially preferred.

As already described above, the spacing between the short and-long rods 125 and 126 is equal to half the horizontal interval between the pots 6 and 6a (FIG. 2). Consequently, with the conventional offset arrangement of the pots in two levels 3 and 4, two spools suspended at the lower level 10 are partially in the way of those in the upper level 9, as shown in FIG. 4.

The long rods 126 are therefore swung outwards away from the machine with the supply spools suspended therefrom, about the joints 127 so that the gripper device 15 on arm 84 can travel upwards to grip the two spools 8 suspended from the short rods 125 and then downwards for positioning them on the spindles 7. A U-shaped pivoted stirrup 129 is provided for this pur pose. It is pivoted with its flanged legs 130 and 131 at points 132 and 133 on the cantilever arms 91 and 92, respectively, and is capable of swivelling with its crosspiece 134 towards two downwardly depending spools 8. The flanged legs 130 and 131 of the stirrup are normally deflected in such a manner that, as the carriage 18 with the support member 16 is moved into position along the face of the machine as shown in FIG. 1, they do not strike against the spools 8 located in the lower row 10 as they hang from the conveyor 117.

In order to provide the swinging movement of the stirrup 129, a cam disc 136 is arranged at to be pivotally rotated externally on the cantilever arm 91, the movement of said disc being derived by means of a coupling 137 and a crank 138 in unidirectional manner from the pivot attachment 89. Associated with an adjusting pin 139 on the flanged leg 130 of the pivoted stirrup 129 are the cam surfaces 140 and 141 of the cam disc 136. Arranged before one cam surface 140, which serves to swing out the stirrup 129, is a second cam surface 141 in the form of a segment of a circle, so that the swinging arm 84 is initially capable of being swung upwardly from its perpendicular position by about 25 before the stirrup 129 is in its turn pivoted.

The correlation of elements can be explained as follows. First, the position of the swinging arm attachment 89 and cylinder 87 with piston arm 87a corresponds to the lower or spindle loading of the pivoted swinging arm 84 as shown in full lines in FIG. 1. If the attachment 89 is now swung towards the right, the swinging arm 84 and also the disc 136 are rotated counterclockwise. After an initial idle travel, the cam 140 pivots the stirrup or U-shaped stay bar 129 into the position 142 shown in phantom lines. The pin 139 is then disposed on the arcuate cam section 141. The swinging arm 84 is then swung upwards into the upper horizontal position, while the stay bar 129 remains in the position 142. It is only when the swinging arm 84 carrying new supply spools 8 from the upper row 9 has passed beyond the range of the lower spool row 10 that the bar 129 again swings back into its initial position.

An additional means for deflecting or swinging out of the way the wire thread guides and/or flyers associated with the separate spindles is shown inFIG. 5. One means of deflecting the thread guides is yieldably supported in its direction of movement in the lower exten sion 53 of the slide 43 of the first gripper device which can be moved linearly on the guide rails 44 and 45. It consists of guide rods 143 which are seated for longitudinal displacement at 144 and are supported at the rear end by means of springs 145 against a lug 146 on the slide extension 53. At their front ends, the guide rods for two adjacent positions are interconnected by means of a cross-member 147. Thus, these guide rods and the deflecting means for thread guides preferably operate in tandem as do the associated gripping means 39 and 40 as shown in FIG. 2. The deflecting Ushaped rod 149 is arranged to be rotatable on the cross-member 147 and can be swung through a limited range by means of a gear 148 arranged thereon and by means of any suitable gear drive means (not shown). Since the ends of the thread guides 152 are operationally positioned in most instances on a line with the spindle axis, they need be turned only slightly to one side to avoid interfering with the loading of spools.

Before the slide 43 reaches the first gripping position on an empty spool, the first deflecting means bears, by means of the pin 150, against the support socket 151 of the thread guide 152, the U-shaped rod 149 projecting laterally alongside the thread guides. The weak spring 145 permits the further travel of the slide 43 into the gripping position. Switches (not shown) associated with the pin 150 switch on the drive means for the gear 148 for rotation of the deflecting rod 149. In other words, this deflection of the thread guides is actuated as soon as pin 150 strikes against the support 151 and only partly rotates the thread guides to a harmless position.

Where the spindle 7 carries a flyer 13 as indicated in FIG. 1, it is also very desirable to prevent any interference with the gripping means, especially the spoolclamping jaw 63, or more particularly the extended lever arm 65 (see FIG. 3). Thus, the flyer with its two extended vanes or wings 13a and 13b must not be in an approximately horizontal position as indicated in FIG. 2 since this would interfere with the similar approximately horizontal position of the gripper jaws 63 and then levers 65 extending from the individual blocks 67. Such interference is very easily prevented by fastening a fingerlike extension 67a as a second deflecting means onto the block 67 to intercept and turn aside one wing 13a of the flyer 13, e.g., by a gradually curved surface which acts on the flyer 13 to the extent that it is not already in an approximately vertical position. The construction of such flyers is very well known in this art,

and for purposes of the present invention, the presence of a flyer is optional as an added element forming an axialextension of the spool and being easily rotated thereon. Thus, it is quite common to employ both the brake l2 and the flyer 13 in combination on the exposed end of the spindle mounted in the pot of the textile machine.

The first deflecting means 149 is preferably power driven through gear 148 since the thread guides 152 must normally be positioned relatively firmly axially of the spindles. However, as with the deflecting finger 67a, this power can be provided by the movement of the slide 43, e.g., by a cammed or worm gear rotation of a hollow pin engaging with the projecting lug or tip of the socket support 151. In this case the gear 148 merely limits the rotational movement on crossmember 147 The spindle loading device according to the invention operates substantially as follows. The procedure when loading the double-twist twisting machine 1 is that two spindles 7 of the upper row ,4 of pots are loaded and then those two spindles 7 of the lower row 3 which are offset from those of the upper row by half the spindle spacing are next loaded. This is followed by the loading of the next two spindles of the upper row, and so on. With the changing from two spindles of the upper row to two spindles of the lower row, the device is normally moved by a half spindle: spacing, and with a reverse changeover, by three half spindle spacings.

The support members 16 is moved vertically to the height of the upper row of pots 4. The swinging arm 84 is swung upwards from the vertical position to such an extent, for example by 25, that it is able to pass not only additional thread guides (not shown) but also the lower row 10 of the spools 8 which are suspended ready for use on the conveyor 1 17. Thus, the swinging arm 84 is normally maintained at about this: angle of 25 during any movement of the carriage 18 along the front of the machine 1.

Moved to the position of the pots 6 and 6a, the arm 84 then swings upwardly into the horizontal spoolgripping position, while the first gripping device 14 is moved forwardly towards the pots 6 and 6a and their respective spindles holding empty spools.

Before the gripper device 14 reaches the spindles, the thread guides associated with the pots 6 and 6a are swung away from the path of movement of the device 14 by means of the deflecting means shown in FIG. 5. The deflecting means for swinging away these axially positioned thread guides is preferably constructed in such a manner that, simultaneously with the thread guides 152 of the two upper pots, the thread guides of the adjoining two lower pots are also swung or pivoted away in a clockwise direction.

The loading device 15 then grips two spools 8 of the upper row 9 by means ofthe paired clamping jaws 96, 97 and 98, 99. The unloading or withdrawing device 14 grips an empty spool 11 in each of the pots 6 and 6a, together with a thread brake l2 and the flyer 13 arranged thereon as shown in detail in FIG. 5. Arranged on each gripper means 39 and 40 is the positioning or deflecting finger 67a or any similar means by which the associated flyer 13 with its vanes or wings is rotated, when the spool and brake are gripped, into a position in which the flyer vanes are at least obliquely downwards or obliquely upwards as indicated. In this gripper-free position the flyer is preferably held for the purpose explained below.

While the loading assembly 15 carrying two spools is swung downwardly, the unloading or withdrawal device 14 returns away from the machine face. As a result, in the second portion of this return movement, the unloading device comes within the range of the stripper 81. The gripper jaws 63 are released beforehand, so that the spools 11, which are thus suspended freely from the part 61 of the thread brakes 12, are completely ejected by means of the spring member 83. As the loading device 15 with the grippers 41 and 42 swings into the path of reciprocal movement of the unloading device 14, the latter has already been once again set in motion toward the pots. Nevertheless, the grippers 39 and 40 which still hold the thread brakes 12 and any associated spindle attachments such as flyer 13, are initially only moved forwards into a certain advantageous threading position at a predetermined distance from the spindles 7. They remain in this position until the thread ends of the new supply spools are threaded into the flyers and/or thread guides associated therewith.

The grippers 41 and 42, in the last downward circular pivoting phase of the arm 84, initially position the gripped spools on the end of the corresponding spindles. The loading device 15 then remains in this end position with the gripper jaws closed, until the threads are released from the exposed ends of the spools and are threaded into the associated flyers or rotatable thread guides. Thereafter the thread brakes together with the flyers are pushed by means of the device 14 onto the spools as soon as the loading device has been moved out ofthe way.

For the threading operation, a special threading device (not shown) can be arranged on the swinging arm 84 and in fact between the arm sections 93 and 94,-

said device being for example pivotable about an axis parallel to the mounting 85 and comprising an offset rotatable suction tube for automatically taking up the thread end in a well known manner. After the paired gripper jaws 96,97 and 98,99 of the gripper loading device 15 have been released and this loading device is swung away from the pots, the device 14 then pushes the spools completely onto the spindles and also releases the separately held brake and flyer as they are inserted onto the spindle. In this way, the loading of the two first pots of the upper level is completed.

The threading operation can, however, also be effected manually, and in fact advantageously when the device 14 has pushed the spools provided with the thread brakes and flyers completely onto the spindles, it being possible to omit the previously described stopping of the devices 14 and T in a position adapted to an automatic threading.

For adjusting the loading device arrangement to the first two spindles of the lower pot level 3, the loading device is first swung back and up through an angle of about 25. The unloading gripper device 14 is likewise moved backwards away from the machine. Both movements serve for removing the grippers 39 and 40, and also 41 and 42, from the zone of the thread brakes l2 and the thread guides of the spools introduced into the pots 6 and 6a. The carriage 18 is then moved longitudinally along the face of the textile machine by a distance corresponding to a half spacing of the spindles. Furthermore, the support member 16 is lowered by the distance between the levels 3 and 4. These two movements of the automatic loading device are similar whether proceeding from two loaded pots of the upper level 4 towards two pots which are to be loaded in the lower level 3, or conversely from two loaded pots of the level 3 towards two pots to be loaded in the level 4. With each new setting or placement of the loading device along the face of the machine in order to register with the next two spindles to be loaded, the arm 84 always assumes a partially upwardly withdrawn position which can also be referred to as the neutral position.

As regards the arrangement of the fresh supply spools on the suspension conveyor 117, it should be noted that this method of having these spools readily available is also advantageous when the loading of the double-twist twisting machine 1 must be accomplished manually. in the conventional methods, the fresh supply spools must be moved forwardly by means of a carriage. In the present case, they are suspended overhead ready to be gripped at an appropriate height. Because of the support by means of the spring 128 on the end of the hanging rods, said spring being constructed as a deformable rubber ring, the spools can easily be taken off as well as inserted and held until needed. The means of holding the supply spools ready for use according to the invention also provides a definite advantage for a strictly manual loading of the machine 1, e.g., with very large spools. This advantage becomes effective in any case if loading by hand must be carried out temporarily because of a breakdown of the loading device or because one or more spindle positions of the machine remote from the loading device require special servicing or replacement of the spool.

The automatic loading device is characterized by several important advantages. For example, the time expended for the unloading and reloading of a spindle or group of spindles is quite short because the unloading and stripping movement of the first gripping means is superimposed on the loading movement of the second gripping means. Thus, as said first gripping means withdraws at least one spool and has it stripped loose in a linear and axial return movement away from the corresponding spindle position, the second gripping means has grasped or clamped the fully wound supply spools and simultaneously arcs downwardly and inwardly toward the same spool position. These reciprocal linear and arcuate movements of the two different gripping devices can be easily adapted to each other, particularly where such movements all take place in about the same plane through the axis spindle and are all controlled by hydraulically operated pistons, using conventional and readily available hydraulic cylinders and control means.

These superimposed movements are also achieved at relatively low cost, partly due to the fact that each of the gripper devices in all of their sequential steps toward and away from the spindle are always moved on a specific track or path of simple design which therefore requires only a very simple actuating mechanism with relatively few parts.

By guiding or moving the loading or second gripping means in an arcuate path falling in a plane containing not only the spindle axis but also the axis of the new spool being loaded, there is a definite advantage when working with a textile machine having spindles located in an upper ortop portion. thereof. This advantage arises because the loading device can be so constructed as to assume a position at right angles to or laterally above the entire machine. where sufficient space is available for storing spools to be loaded onto the spindles. Convenient overhead conveying and. storage means other than that specifically shown may. also be used, but it is especially advantageous to be able to store the feed spools hanging perpendicularly or obliquely to the spindles and at veryclose intervals in two tiers as corresponds exactlyto the spacing of the tiers or rows of pots with spindles along the face of the machine.

Thus, the automatic loading device is alsoespecially suitable in conjunction with frames or machines having the spindles arranged in two oreven several banks or rows, since one can employ a single vertically adjustable support member carrying both a of the, gripping means aswel] as the stripping, means and .other elements. The device can then be quickly adjusted for registration with each horizontal bank or row of spindles, independently of the loading and unloading operational movements.

Thus, it is especially desirable to arrange the first gripping means for removing or withdrawing spools on a slide or block housing which can be ,reciprocated back and forth on a substantially horizontal guide track or guide rail means which are connected rigidly to the vertically adjustable support.

A simple hydraulically operated double lever arm permits a relatively long traversing movement or linear retraction of the first gripping means between the spin dles on the face of the textile machine and a position close to the vertically adjustable support which in turn is hydraulically operated by a double-acting cylinder while guided and supported by vertically arranged tubular guides.

The particular control means for operating each of the hydraulic units is quite conventionaland need not be described in detail. One can employ a timed sequence which is mechanically or electrically or electro-mechanically programmed to achieve the desired sequence of movements. By providing a manual override, the individual sequences can be altered or even completely stopped to permit repair or occasional hand loading, threading and the like.

In many types of spinning and/or twisting machines, especially so-called double-twist twisting machines, there are ordinarily required a rather complicated arrangement of spooling, braking and guiding elements as indicated above. The automatic loading device of the present invention readily accommodates these arrangements and makes it possible not only to deflect and reposition various thread guides but also permits a removal of the spool together with the brake or flyer or similar elements at the outer end of the spool. Moreover, the spool can then be independently released and dropped off by a stripping means while the other elements such as the brake or flyer are retained by the first gripping means. Then, after the second gripping Then, has positioned the new spool in place on the spindle, the first gripper moves forward a second time in the same loading sequence in order to reinsert the brake, flyer or the like into the spindle and at the same time push the new spool assembly completely onto the spindle. At the same time, relatively simple deflectingmeans in the form of fingers, cams, braces, stays and the like are preferably attached directly to and use the movement of the gripping devices themselves, but may. also be actuated or driven by the associated hydraulic cylinder and piston means through linking rods or the like. These deflecting means serve to unblock or separate elements which might otherwise interfere with each other, those shown herein being especially advantageous. An intermediate threading step can also be accomplished as explained above, and other modifications will be readily suggested to those skilled in this art.

Theoverall combination of the automatic loading device of the invention in a textile spinning or twisting machine is extremely versatile in handling all types of operations but is still quite economical and reliable in the rapid strippingand reloading of spools or spool assembliesin multiunit and especiallymulti-tiered textile machines-having a very large number of spindles. Servicingof the loading or unloading unitsthemselves is relatively simple and one can also provide improved manual operations whenever conditions are warranted. Depending upon the size of each supply spool and its total running time, the paired or tandem loading device illustrated above can reload a very large machine with many paired spooling or spindle-pot positionsunder normal twisting operations.

Theinvention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A device for automatically loading and unloading spindles located at intervals along the face of a textile machine, said device comprising:

a supporting framework movable along said machine face for the alignment of individual spindle positions;

at least one first gripping means mounted on said framework for reciprocal linear movement axially of an individual spindle and including releasable clamping means for holding a spool being withdrawn from said spindle;

at least one second gripping means separately mounted on said framework by a swinging lever arm for reciprocal motion in a curved path betweenan upper spool receiving position and a lower spindle registering position at which the spool is fitted onto said spindle; said second gripping means including releasable clamping means to hold a spool being transported from said upper position to said lower position; and

means to separately actuate each of said first and second gripping means for cooperative movement with respect to the same spindle such that said first gripping means is drawn away from said spindle while said second gripping means loads a spool onto said spindle and returns in said curved path free of interference with said first gripping means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said a second gripping means reciprocatesin a circular path between said upper and lower positions.

3. A device as claimed in claim! wherein said spindles are positioned at a plurality of levels along said machine face and all of said gripping means are mounted with means for adjusting their height independently of their reciprocating and clamping movements.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said at least one first gripping means is arranged on a slide member for reciprocal movement on an approximately horizontal guide rail means which in turn is vertically adjustable on said framework for movement of said first gripping means between upper and lower spindle positions.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the loaded spool contains at least one additional thread handling element projecting from the outer gripped end of the spool, said first gripping means including separately actuated and releasable gripping jaws, one of which clamps and holds the spool alone while the other clamps and holds said at least one additional element.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said additional thread handling element includes a thread brake and a hollow tubular member for insertion of the thread.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said additional thread handling element includes a rotatable flyer and said first gripping means has at least one deflecting means to swing the radially protruding vanes of said flyer into a position free of interference with the gripper clamping jaws.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 including separately controllable hydraulic cylinder and piston means operatively linked to each of said gripping means to actuate their linear and arcuate reciprocal movement, respectively, said movements occurring in approximately the same plane which passes through the axis of the spindle being loaded.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each gripping means includes paired clamping jaws of identical construction arranged in parallel and spaced at the same interval as the spindles being loaded.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1 including means mounted on said first gripping means to deflect thread guides from their normal position axially of the spindles during the replacement of spools on the spindles so as to avoid interfering with the loading operation.

11. A device as claimed in claim 1 including programming means for withdrawing a first spool from an individual spindle with said first gripping means, then partially fitting a second spool onto said spindle with said second gripping means, further releasing said first spool from said first gripping means at a position remote from said spindle and then completely fitting said second spool onto said spindle by engagement with said first gripping means being returned toward said spindle a second time in the same loading sequence.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said first gripping means includes two separately actuated and releasable gripping jaws, one of which clamps and holds the spool alone until released at said position remote from said spindle, and the other of which clamps and holds at least one additional thread handling element adapted to project from the outer gripped end of the spool, said additional element first being clamped and held during the withdrawal and release of said first spool and then being reinserted onto said second spool by the return engagement of said first gripping means for completely fitting said second spool onto said spindle. 

1. A device for automatically loading and unloading spindles located at intervals along the face of a textile machine, said device comprising: a supporting framework movable along said machine face for the alignment of individual spindle positions; at least one first gripping means mounted on said framework for reciprocal linear movement axially of an individual spindle and including releasable clamping means for holding a spool being withdrawn from said spindle; at least one second gripping means separately mounted on said framework by a swinging lever arm for reciprocal motion in a curved path between an upper spool receiving position and a lower spindle registering position at which the spool is fitted onto said spindle, said second gripping means including releasable clamping means to hold a spool being transported from said upper position to said lower position; and means to separately actuate each of said first and second gripping means for cooperative movement with respecT to the same spindle such that said first gripping means is drawn away from said spindle while said second gripping means loads a spool onto said spindle and returns in said curved path free of interference with said first gripping means.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second gripping means reciprocates in a circular path between said upper and lower positions.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spindles are positioned at a plurality of levels along said machine face and all of said gripping means are mounted with means for adjusting their height independently of their reciprocating and clamping movements.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said at least one first gripping means is arranged on a slide member for reciprocal movement on an approximately horizontal guide rail means which in turn is vertically adjustable on said framework for movement of said first gripping means between upper and lower spindle positions.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the loaded spool contains at least one additional thread handling element projecting from the outer gripped end of the spool, said first gripping means including separately actuated and releasable gripping jaws, one of which clamps and holds the spool alone while the other clamps and holds said at least one additional element.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said additional thread handling element includes a thread brake and a hollow tubular member for insertion of the thread.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said additional thread handling element includes a rotatable flyer and said first gripping means has at least one deflecting means to swing the radially protruding vanes of said flyer into a position free of interference with the gripper clamping jaws.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 1 including separately controllable hydraulic cylinder and piston means operatively linked to each of said gripping means to actuate their linear and arcuate reciprocal movement, respectively, said movements occurring in approximately the same plane which passes through the axis of the spindle being loaded.
 9. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each gripping means includes paired clamping jaws of identical construction arranged in parallel and spaced at the same interval as the spindles being loaded.
 10. A device as claimed in claim 1 including means mounted on said first gripping means to deflect thread guides from their normal position axially of the spindles during the replacement of spools on the spindles so as to avoid interfering with the loading operation.
 11. A device as claimed in claim 1 including programming means for withdrawing a first spool from an individual spindle with said first gripping means, then partially fitting a second spool onto said spindle with said second gripping means, further releasing said first spool from said first gripping means at a position remote from said spindle and then completely fitting said second spool onto said spindle by engagement with said first gripping means being returned toward said spindle a second time in the same loading sequence.
 12. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said first gripping means includes two separately actuated and releasable gripping jaws, one of which clamps and holds the spool alone until released at said position remote from said spindle, and the other of which clamps and holds at least one additional thread handling element adapted to project from the outer gripped end of the spool, said additional element first being clamped and held during the withdrawal and release of said first spool and then being reinserted onto said second spool by the return engagement of said first gripping means for completely fitting said second spool onto said spindle. 